I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to remote controls for televisions and more particularly to an improved remote control for televisions that includes an alerting mechanism, a liquid crystal display and a microprocessor circuit that can be manually programmed by a user through buttons on the remote control having a menu screen allowing access to the day, time and channel information for a desired program that can be set into the auto program mode whereby the microprocessor circuit stores time, day and channel information when the microprocessor circuit recognizes predetermined viewing patterns; that includes a manual alert mode that provides an audible alerting alarm, a visual alerting alarm and a display of the stored channel for a desired program when the microprocessor circuit detects the time and day of a programed viewing event; and that include an automatic alert mode that generates all of the activities of the manual alert mode and further causes the remote control to transmit a channel change signal for changing the television receiver to the programmed channel. The device further includes a memory screen functional through the microprocessor and activated by a discrete push button, accessible through the menu screen which allows the user to scroll through the above-noted functions. Further, the memory screen allows access by the user to enter information concerning the date, time and channel the user had previously saved. The memory screen also allows the user to program the device to automatically delete past entered items once the specific item has become obsolete.
II. Description of the Related Art
Many individuals enjoy some television programs to the extent that they are disappointed when for one reason or another the regularly viewed and anticipated television program is missed. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a remote control for televisions that included a manual alert mechanism that would provide an alert and channel information to television viewer when a regularly viewed television program is about to begin so that the television viewer is given the opportunity to change the channel if the viewer is currently watching another program or to turn on the television if the viewer is engaged in another activity such as reading, crocheting or talking on the telephone. Because an audible and visual alarm may not attract the television viewers attention, it would be a further benefit to have a remote control for televisions that further included an automatic alert mode whereby, in addition to providing the audible and visual alerting alarms and the channel information of the manual alert mechanism, the automatic alert mode caused the remote control to turn on the television if it was not currently on and to tune the television to the channel of the desired program. Because many individuals find it difficult to program electronic equipment, it would of course be a further benefit if the remote control included a microprocessor circuit that in addition to a manual programming mode included an automatic program mode that would compare the viewing habits of the remote control users to one or more predetermined viewing patterns that were stored in the microprocessor circuit and that would automatically program a time, day and channel alerting event when the viewing habits matched with one of the predetermined viewing patterns.